


Let It Rain

by mdelpin, Oryu404



Series: Fairy Tail Dads AU [16]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Friendship, M/M, Magnolia Dad's Club, Psychological Trauma, Self-Defense, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Strangulation, Violence, ftdadsau, noncon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:40:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22593421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mdelpin/pseuds/mdelpin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oryu404/pseuds/Oryu404
Summary: An unwanted encounter outside the studio Phantom Lord used for rehearsals puts Rogue in a fight for his life from someone he once considered a friend. He discovers that leaving that alley behind him is not going to be easy, but the friendship of one of his bandmates reassures him that he's not alone.
Relationships: Rogue Cheney & Gajeel Redfox, Rogue Cheney & Gray Fullbuster, Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe (mentioned), Rogue Cheney/Totomaru
Series: Fairy Tail Dads AU [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1555675
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26
Collections: Fairy Tail Dads AU, Fairy Tail LGBTales





	Let It Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning for Sexual Assault and Strangulation. This story describes a violent sexual act as well as the effects on the victim. Please do not read if you think it might upset you.
> 
> There are references to events in ['Traces of you'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21709084), a previous story in this series.
> 
> Want to talk with us about Fairy Tail, other animes, writing, or our stories? Click on the link to join our discord [The Unholy Trinity](https://discord.gg/HTnthVNZ3V)!

_November 27, 2013  
  
_

He had fucked up again, missed multiple notes from songs he should’ve been able to play with his eyes closed, and when his voice had cracked, and the concerned looks of his bandmates had closed in on him, Rogue had called for a break and stormed off.

His hands shook as he lit his cigarette, leaned against the brick wall in the alley behind the rehearsal studio where their band, Phantom Lord, practiced. The space was overgrown with weeds and moss, the pile of cigarette butts left by him, and many others who used this place to indulge in their addiction had long buried the ice cream cup that they’d used as an ashtray. The rain had left muddy puddles that would require him to clean his shoes before going back inside, but he didn’t care. The high walls of the surrounding buildings sheltered him from the cold November winds, and he could be alone with his thoughts for a while. Try to clear as many of them as possible, before he’d have to go back inside and explain his odd behavior.

Some of Rogue’s tension smoothed itself out at the first deep, smoke-filled exhale, and he silently filed away thoughts and memories that had come along with songs that never used to be personal. It was temporary, he reminded himself, and maybe he could find a way to turn these emotions into artistic inspiration like he did the other day at home. 

Thoughts of that song brought his mind back to Sting’s invitation to visit him in Edolas over the holidays. Yet another thing that had him feeling unsettled. As enthused as he’d allowed himself to get about the idea, it had its own set of issues. He had lost count of the number of times he’d almost texted Sting to bow out. While spending another holiday alone was the last thing he wanted, the thought of spending one with Sting, seeing what could have been, was almost worse. 

On impulse, he grabbed his phone, sliding through the contacts until he found his brother’s number, hoping against hope that this would be the one time he would finally get through. The phone rang twice before being picked up.

_This is Gray Fullbuster, I can’t come to the phone right now, but leave me a message, and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Bye!_

“Hey Gray, it’s me, Rogue,” Rogue bit his tongue before he added anything he might regret, having heard that message more times than his brother’s actual voice. “I was wondering what your plans were for Christmas. Please call me back, I really need to talk to you. Please? Bye.”

With a sigh, Rogue hung up, calling Gray had probably been a mistake. Of course, he already had plans for Christmas, plans that did not include him in any way. Just like last year. 

He grabbed another cigarette from his pack and lit it, knowing Gajeel wouldn’t care if he was a little late. His mind was in a state of chaos again, and while he waited for the nicotine to do its thing, he distracted himself with thoughts of a story he’d been working on for one of his writing courses. In a few minutes, he’d managed to lose himself in a fantasy world, far from his current worries.

But this tentative sense of peace was disrupted when Rogue heard the studio’s back door open and close. Just like he’d dreaded, someone had decided to come after him.

“I’ll be right there, just leave me alone for a minute,” he sighed, head up towards the bleak grey sky because he feared that whoever was there could read the turmoil off his face. But it turned out they knew regardless.

“What the hell is up with you today? Your playing is shit.” Totomaru, their drummer, walked right up to him, completely disregarding Rogue’s request and lighting up his own cigarette. When Rogue refused to rise to his bait, Maru gave him a once over, eyes boring into him and narrowing in anger.

“This is about that stupid blond kid, isn’t it?”

Rogue sighed, It just had to be Maru who followed him out, and from that last spiteful comment, Rogue knew precisely why he did. It reminded him of exactly why he had chosen to break up with Maru in the first place. It had been exhausting to deal with his constant fits of jealousy and possessive clinginess. Enough so that it had destroyed any initial attraction Rogue might have felt.  
  
He’d wanted to stay friends, for the sake of Phantom Lord and because they had gotten along pretty well, but while Maru had appeared to feel the same at first, there had still been an underlying hostility to his interactions. One that had only gotten worse once Rogue had started dating Sting. Rogue’s attempts at friendship with Maru had suffered from this behavior as well, to the point where Rogue became resistant to the idea of spending time around him. So after Sting had left and Maru had made no secret of the fact that he was hoping Rogue would come back to him, Rogue had been more than offended.

So maybe it was because he’d already been in a bad mood before Maru decided to come out and mess with him, or maybe he was just done with his bullshit. Whatever the reason, Rogue couldn’t keep himself from snapping, having already been wound up by all the mistakes he’d made during the rehearsal, his family, and yes dammit, Sting.

“Piss off, Maru,” he taunted, exasperated and eager to lash out, “You call him stupid, but you’re the one who can’t even understand a two-letter word.”

But Maru showed no intention of leaving, and now that Rogue had insulted him, he seemed determined to keep the conversation going. “Don’t bitch at _me_ Rogue, _I’m_ not the one who left, remember?"

That’s when Rogue noticed it, a glint of something foul and ugly in Maru’s eyes. He’d never seen the drummer act this way before, not even when Rogue had broken up with him. He decided not to engage any further, it was best if he got himself back inside before either of them said something they couldn’t come back from.

Still, he felt the need to say something, not wanting it to appear as though he was running away. 

“Let’s get back inside, Gajeel’s probably getting pissed,” Rogue declared, doing his best to appear calm and neutralize the situation. He put out his cigarette and walked past his ex-boyfriend on his way to the door to the rehearsal studio, which looked incredibly far away.

He hadn’t gotten far when he was grabbed by the arm and slammed head-first against the alley wall. Rogue blinked slowly, confused by the unexpected assault. Feeling a trickle of something sticky trail down his cheek, he touched it, surprised when his finger came away bloody.

He was turned around and shoved against the wall once again. His pack of cigarettes slipped out of his pocket and landed in one of the puddles.

Maru moved quickly, wrapping his hand around Rogue’s throat before he’d had a chance to protest his rough treatment, the cigarette he’d been smoking earlier nowhere to be seen.

“I’m getting awfully tired of watching you walk away,” Maru snarled, applying more pressure to Rogue’s throat.

Stuck in fight or flight response and pure disbelief at what was going on, Rogue didn’t even resist until he felt a cold hand slip past the waistband of both his jeans and his boxers. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make you forget him,” Maru assured him, his voice oozing with sickening confidence as he wrapped his hand around Rogue’s cock.

The touch was rough and forceful, but to Rogue’s dismay, his body betrayed him nonetheless, responding naturally to the attention.

“See?” Maru smirked, continuing to yank at Rogue’s cock with one hand while applying ever more pressure to his throat “I knew you wanted it…”

Maru leaned forward, whispering seductively into Rogue’s ear, “Doesn’t that feel good?” he crooned, “You broke it off before I could show you how much fun we could have.”

Rogue couldn’t take any more of this. His muscles finally responded to the internally screamed commands to just _make it stop_. Still, the struggle with his lack of air and unwanted arousal were both demanding attention Rogue wasn’t willing to give. He tried to push Maru away, clawing at the hand that was putting painful pressure on his throat until he drew blood, but it wasn’t enough. The constriction made him unable to breathe, making his head spin from the lack of oxygen.

He was going to pass out, and it only heightened the unwanted sensations. He fucking hated it.

Rogue lashed out in sudden instinct, remembering the things Gildarts had taught him years ago. He drove his knee into Maru’s crotch with as much force as he could gather. Air filled his lungs with a loud gasp as Maru doubled over in pain, releasing his grip on him.

“Don’t you dare come near me again,” Rogue coughed, and filled with rage and disgust, he delivered another blow. Straight to Maru’s face. He could hear his nose crack from the impact, but he didn’t care. He needed to get out of there, so he ran. As fast as he could, even though his breathing had yet to regulate itself and the water from the puddles splashed up against his legs with every step. Through the alley, into the streets, ignoring the people he nearly bumped into and the weird stares they were giving him.

By the time he’d reached South Gate Park, he’d lost the strength to keep running. Had to slow down and lean against a tree to keep from collapsing. He could still feel Maru’s hands on him, and he shuddered in disgust, his stomach heaving at the memory, but nothing came out. His lungs hurt from sucking up the cold air and his hands shook as he frantically ran them through his hair. It was soaked from the rain he hadn’t even noticed had started falling again, the meager shelter provided by the nearly leafless tree doing nothing to prevent it. Still, he made no move to search for better cover, hoping some of the shame and disgust he felt would get washed away to seep into the soil beneath his dirty shoes, never to return again.

He looked around to see if he had been followed, relieved to find no sign of Maru, Gajeel, or Juvia anywhere. There was an older lady with an umbrella just a few feet away, feeding the ducks in the pond. A middle-aged man walking his dog, clearly in a hurry to get out of the rain. It should’ve been reassuring, given him a sense of safety to know he wasn’t alone, but he felt more alone than ever. A soul trapped inside another reality, far away from these ordinary people going on with their ordinary Wednesday.

When he felt he could move again, he began walking home, systematically digging through his pockets for his cigarettes. But of course, they weren’t there. They were still in that alley, soggy, and beyond recovery. Rogue bought a new pack at the first store he passed. 

"You okay there, buddy?" 

The familiar face of the guy behind the cash register was looking at him with obvious concern, hesitating as he stretched out his hand to give Rogue his change. A part of him wanted to tell the truth, but he couldn’t. There were other people in the store, waiting behind him in line, browsing through the narrow aisles, and he felt like all of their eyes were on him. Waiting for his explanation of why he looked the way he could only suspect he did. But he couldn’t find the words to deny it either, felt that last bit of control he had over his emotions slipping away fast, so he gave a hasty nod, grabbed the cigarettes and rushed out. The 400 jewel change wasn’t worth a convenience store breakdown.

It was just starting to get dark when he came home, tired, and soaked to the bone. He ignored the buzzing in his pocket as well as the trail of mud and water he left behind as he went through the house, locking and checking all doors and windows.

He avoided the kitchen at all costs, it hurt to swallow, and the mere thought of food was making him feel ill. Instead, he headed into the bathroom to take a long shower. 

Rogue stood under the hot stream, mind empty except for the notion of running water, letting its scalding heat wash away the events of the day, if only for a few precious minutes. He scrubbed until he ran out of shower gel, and the hot water was long done. 

Wrapping himself up in an oversized towel, Rogue bolted out of the bathroom keeping his eyes glued to the floor. He entered his walk-in closet, and after grabbing the few items he wanted he turned around, promptly dropping everything on the floor when he saw his reflection in the floor-length mirror that hung from the closet door. He’d completely forgotten about it.

He trembled as he recognized why the cashier had looked so concerned. The whites of both his eyes had large patches of blood in them. He determined that his vision wasn’t affected, and immediately avoided looking in his own eyes again. He’d seen something in them that upset him more than the grisly prevalence of red.  
  
There was a nasty gash on his forehead from where his head had it the wall, and he touched it, realizing that must have been the source of the blood from earlier. He thought it would heal on its own, which was at least one less problem because he had no intention of visiting the hospital to get it stitched.

His attention soon shifted down towards his neck, his hand automatically moving to trace the bruises that roughly resembled finger outlines, along with the scratches that had probably come from his attempts to free himself. He flinched and swallowed hard, reeling from the pain of it.

He forced himself to look away, picking up the items he’d dropped and closing the closet door behind him. He hadn’t wanted to look in a mirror yet, not sure he was ready to see the marks of the attack on his body, but he was oddly glad to have gotten it over with. With nothing left to fear, he returned the towel to the bathroom, brushing his teeth quickly and leaving the light on for the first time since his parents had left.  
  


0-0  
  


Rogue sat on his bed, dressed in one of Gray's old hockey jerseys and a pair of sweats. Not having his loved ones around him at that moment was both a blessing and a curse, as it saved him from sharing the nightmare he had lived through today, but it also weighed down the burden of loneliness like nothing ever had before. He just wanted to feel them near, feel connected to them even if it was only through something as simple as a piece of clothing. 

Thanking his past self for not throwing away the box full of stuff Sting had forgotten or left behind, he wrapped the scarf he had taken from it loosely around his neck. The fabric barely touched his skin, but knowing it was there to conceal the damage that was done to him, to pretend like there wasn’t any, made him feel slightly better. He fiddled with one of the frayed ends and finally went through his phone.

_7 missed calls_

_12 unread messages_

It didn’t come as a surprise that both Gajeel and Juvia had sent him texts and tried to call him a couple of times, he’d left abruptly, and without informing them after all. He hadn’t even come back for his guitar, so he’d have to deal with their questions sooner or later. Just not now, because as much as he’d wanted to let them know he was at home, and they shouldn’t worry about him, there was another name on the screen that made his heart drop.

_Gray Fullbuster, 2 missed calls._

His bottom lip quivered at the sight of his big brother’s name, and he could feel the tears burning in his eyes, blurring his vision, but he somehow managed to retrieve the voicemail that was left for him. And the moment he heard Gray’s voice ring through his ears, he broke down into sobs.

_Hey Squirt, I’m sorry I missed your call, I was in the middle of a shoot. About Christmas, I’m not gonna be around, Siegrain is taking me to Stella for the holidays, but maybe you can come visit me after? It’d be great to see you!_

There was a silence on the other line making Rogue think the message was over when to his surprise, Gray continued talking, his voice sounding slightly worried.

_Listen, is everything okay with you? You sounded...off in your last message._

Rogue could hear someone calling his brother’s name impatiently in the background.

_I gotta go, but call me if something’s wrong, okay? Take care, bye._

The message ended, and Rogue replayed it again and again, almost crushing the phone in his hands as he let the tears fall, and let out all his pain, fear, heartbreak and anger. But somewhere in between, there were also tears of joy, because Gray had actually called him back. Had even left a voicemail, not a pre-recorded notice but a personal message just for him, showing that he cared. It was such a small gesture, but at the moment, it meant everything.

That, combined with the text Sting had sent him, along with a picture of a place he wanted to take him over the holidays, consoled him enough to minimize his cries to dry hiccups. In just a few weeks, he was leaving for a place far away from here. From the empty house, from all those eyes that had been on him, from Totomaru. And with that thought, he was able to go to sleep.  
  


0-0  
  


_Thursday_

Sleep had been a mistake, one Rogue sorely regretted. His dreams had been haunted by monsters and brief glimpses of what had happened to him. Of what _could have_ happened to him if he hadn’t gotten away when he did. He’d given up and moved to the living room, turning on the TV and binge-watching anime for the rest of the night. He smoked half of his new pack of cigarettes, having already decided he would not be attending school today, or the next day.

His phone continued to buzz actively, and Rogue stuck it in a drawer in Sting’s room and forgot all about it. _Gray’s old room,_ he reminded himself. Sting didn’t live there anymore. If he did, yesterday wouldn’t have happened. 

His thoughts were turning ugly, and they were all directed at himself, analyzing everything that had happened and identifying every single way he’d brought it upon himself as cigarette after cigarette passed his lips.

He shouldn’t have taken such a long break.

He should have gone back inside as soon as Maru came out.

He should have kept his mouth shut instead of taunting him.

He should never have shown Maru his back when he’d already noticed the drummer was acting strangely.

And worst of all, he shouldn’t have enjoyed it.

He should just not have gone to that fucking practice in the first place. Well, he was certainly never going back to another one. He was done. He’d just have to get his instrument from Gajeel at some point. It’s not like he’d ever planned to make it big. That was Gajeel’s dream, not his. From now on, he’d focus on his writing, maybe start working on a novel like he’d always wanted.   
  


0-0  
  


_Friday_

The knocking on the door startled him from his sleep-deprived daze. Rogue stared at the door warily, but remained on the sofa, still wearing the clothes he’d put on Wednesday night after his shower. His stomach was growling, but he was still determined to ignore it, although the pain in his throat was now only a dull ache.

After a few moments, the knocking ceased, and Rogue released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He switched his attention back to the TV, jumping out of his skin when he heard the rapping on the dining room’s sliding door.

“I can see you, Rogue, open the damn door,” Gajeel’s voice, muffled as it was through the glass, somehow managed to convey the fact that he had no plans of leaving until he talked to him.

When Rogue didn’t move, he added, “I swear to God I will break this door down if I have to.”

Knowing it was not an idle threat and what his parents had to say last time it had happened, Rogue got up and grudgingly let his friend in. He had come bearing Rogue’s guitar and two large pizzas, and their delicious smell spurred Rogue’s stomach to roar.

Gajeel walked in, waited for Rogue to close the door behind him, and slowly eyed him from head to toe. Rogue had no idea how bad he looked, hadn’t seen his own reflection for two days, but he knew it had sooner worsened than improved. He tried to avoid eye contact and tucked his chin in Sting’s scarf, which was pretty much pointless because Gajeel must’ve already seen whatever was still visible, his piercing gaze hinted at that.

Against Rogue’s expectations, Gajeel made no comment about it, and Rogue couldn’t decide if he should feel relieved or not. “Pepperoni or tuna?” Was all he asked, in a way that made it clear that ‘neither’ was not an acceptable answer. Rogue tried to speak but had to clear his throat after the first syllable had come out so hoarse it shocked him.

“Tuna,” he was eventually able to get out.

Gajeel made himself at home, kicked off his shoes by the sliding door, and threw his studded leather jacket over one of the dining chairs. He laid the guitar on the dining table and flopped down on the couch, putting Rogue’s pizza on the coffee table and digging into his own right away. Rogue watched him apprehensively for a few seconds, spacing out at the slow and repetitive chewing motions of his jaws.

“What’re ya watchin’?” he asked with his mouth full, eyes glued to the TV.

"Uhm...Spirited Away…”

Rogue slowly sat down next to Gajeel, taking a bite from his pizza. A small one, since his throat was still sensitive, and that was for the best. If it wasn’t, he would’ve probably shoved the whole slice in his mouth.

“Start over, I wanna watch it from the beginning,” Gajeel demanded. 

“Okay,” Rogue shrugged, not particularly caring one way or the other, it was all just noise to him. He grabbed the remote and restarted the movie, feeling Gajeel’s eyes on him again.

“I saw Totomaru had a broken nose,” Gajeel commented, “He shoot off his mouth again?”

Rogue looked at the pizza he’d been eating and put it back in the box, what little appetite he’d managed gone. He shook his head, trying to indicate that he didn’t want to talk about it.

Gajeel seemed to understand because although his lips pressed together in a hard line, he changed the topic somewhat.

“When was the last time you slept?”

Rogue shrugged again. He wasn’t really sure; he’d been fighting off sleep since the nightmares had started, but he’d probably dozed off once or twice.

“Alright, I’ll tell you what, I’ll cut you some slack. I won’t ask about what happened if you eat a little more and try to get some sleep.”

“I’m not tired,” Rogue lied.

Gajeel snorted, “Your eyes say different, you look like a goddamn panda with those dark circles. That’s my best offer, it took me about an hour to talk Juvia out of coming here to baby you, but I can always give her a call.” He raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“That’s blackmail,” Rogue protested, but he knew it was pointless to argue. Gajeel would do precisely what he said.

“Like I give a fuck,” Gajeel stated matter-of-factly, grabbing another piece of pizza and watching the TV. 

Although he was feeling nauseous again, and the mere thought of falling asleep and having another bad dream threw him into a panic, Rogue was willing to try if that meant he wouldn’t have to talk about what happened.

What would Gajeel think of him if he knew? Would he consider him weak for letting it happen? Would he confirm the toxic belief that it was his own fault? Would he even believe him when he’d say he hadn’t wanted it, because honestly, why would he? He knew they’d dated briefly, it happened right under his nose after all, and that wasn’t going to work in Rogue’s favor when it would be his word against Maru’s.

But even worse, what if he _did_ believe him? The prospect of getting his ass dragged to the police station, of medical examinations and rounds of uncomfortable questions, being labeled a victim…

Rogue took a big bite out of his pizza slice, praying to God he’d be able to keep it down.  
  


0-0  
  


They had finished Spirited Away and were halfway through Howl’s Moving Castle by the time Rogue managed to eat about a third of his pizza, each bite getting less and less appealing as the food got colder and chewier. Still, Gajeel was only satisfied when he’d promised to save the rest for breakfast or lunch.

As more time passed, Rogue discovered that as much as he’d wanted to isolate himself from the rest of the world, he’d already begun dreading the inevitable moment when Gajeel would get up and leave. He may have been a little annoying, but he was there. 

He didn’t ask any questions, and crazily enough had barely addressed the elephant in the room. Not counting the pizza pestering, Gajeel had acted like he always did, creating the illusion that everything was “normal”, and Rogue didn’t want it to end.

“You wanna play Smash Bros?” Rogue asked hopefully, as the movie ending credits scrolled on the screen, wanting to keep his friend there without being obvious about it.

“You think you can take me?” Gajeel snorted, eyes narrowing in challenge, ”Well then, show me what you got, Junior.”

Rogue got the console going and tossed Gajeel a controller before settling back on the sofa. He won the first couple of rounds, but after that, he got trounced. His tired state, combined with the fact that Gajeel had turned off all the lights in the house, made him drowsy, and no amount of fighting it off would save him from falling asleep this time.

He figured Gajeel would take off then, but to Rogue’s surprise, he showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he grabbed a few pillows from the bedroom and handed them to Rogue, covering him with his blanket when he was almost asleep.

“Are you staying?” Rogue slurred, trying to hold on to his consciousness just long enough to catch the answer.

“Yeah, the weather is shit so I’m crashing with you. Deal with it.”

Rogue could tell that it was an excuse, even if the absence of the TV’s background noise had made way for the calming sound of the rain pattering against the windows. He knew Gajeel suspected more than he was letting on, but he didn’t care, because, for the first time since Wednesday, he felt safe.

“Thanks.” He gave in to the need for sleep, and the last thing he remembered seeing before his eyelids became too heavy to keep them open, was Gajeel sitting on the couch, watching over him as a murderous look appeared in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> We don't have anything against Totomaru as a character, in fact we both think he's kind of cool. However, he was a member of Phantom Lord, which we used to inspire the band Rogue was in, so it was the available character we had for this storyline rather than any desire to bash the character.
> 
> Sadly, not all characters can be good guys. Some make bad decisions and although there is no way of condoning such behavior, it's how he deals with it afterwards that will ultimately define him. 
> 
> The effects of Let it Rain on both characters will continue to pop up in other stories. At the moment we are dealing with how that encounter has affected Rogue but we're not done with Totomaru yet. We do have plans to tackle how the events of that story affected him as well.


End file.
